So today is the day when my book is published. It feels like an age since I put the idea together and emailed it to a handful of publishers. I guess that’s because it is. It takes a relatively long time to put together a book with all its different stages. From idea to publication The Cut Flower Patch has taken 3 months short of 2 years, so to say I’m pleased the day has finally arrived is an understatement.
Tulips make stunning cut flowers
I have read some very lovely reviews and I’m over the moon that people seem to love the book. It really does make the hard work, sleepless nights and tearing my hair out at the weather worthwhile.
If you’d like a peek at some of the gorgeous images from the book to whet your appetite here’s a link to photographer Jason Ingram’s website. Whilst you’re there take a look at his own book Kitchen Garden Experts, created with his wife Cinead McTernan, which will be out on May 1st. Whilst Jason was working on my book he was also travelling the length and breadth of the country visiting the kitchen gardens of some of Britain’s best chefs and their head gardeners. Their book is a brilliant combination of growing tips and delicious recipes direct from the experts.
So if you love flowers, fancy filling you home with flowery gorgeousness and want to embrace the seasons rather than relying on imported blooms then hopefully my book will provide some inspiration.
Right, enough self-publicity, I’m off to sow some seeds. x
Congratulations, Lou! Glad the big day has finally arrived. I hope you are rewarded with a bouquet of favourable reviews and healthy sales figures.
Hi Eirlys, Thank you! I hope so too. ;) Fingers crossed. x
What an exciting day for you! Many congratulations! AoF
Thank you! :)
I received my copy a week ago and am slowly working my way through. You have a convert! I’m pinching one of my raised beds in the veggie garden so that I can sow some seeds for cutting as before, I always preferred to have the flowers in the garden and not cut for the house! Congratulations on producing a beautiful book.
Hi Pauline, Ooo ! I’m so glad to hear you’re converted. I hope you have a great time this year with your cut flower patch and I look forward to seeing the fruits of your labour. :)
Many congratulations, your book is beautiful (I’ve got a copy to review). I hope you’re celebrating publishing day with something fizzy.
Hi Jo, Thank you so much. Hope you’re enjoying your copy. I’ve celebrated publishing day with a few hours in the greenhouse. :)
Congratulations on publication day! I looked at Jason’s images and they are incredible. Beautiful & inspiring – some ideas there already that I thought, ‘hey, I could do that’. Looks like a book I better take a closer look at. Well done.
Thank you very much, Julieanne. He’s an amazing photographer, isn’t he. Hope you give some of your ideas a go, it’s really rewarding. x
well done wellywoman!
Thank you, Laura. :)
Congratulations, wellywoman and how exciting! My copy arrived early, as you know, and I’m enjoying what I’ve read so far. Looks like all your hard work will pay off – well done! And, as you say, the photo work is beautiful!
Thanks Ali. Glad you like the book. :)
Fantastic ! Congratulations to you! I can’t wait to read it
Thank you, Josie. :)
Congratulations, I hope the book will be a great success. I’ll order a copy and have it sent to my MIL and collect it when I’m next in the UK. My bed for cut flowers is ready and I’m about to put the irrigation in (essential here) I’ve started a few seeds but I’m late for this year so I’ll just try to experiment a bit with some perennials I could move, do you grow perennials as well as annuals?
Hi Christina and thank you. I think the LBS place would deliver to Italy for a small charge if you wanted the book sooner. You could try half-hardies like cosmos, zinnias and tithonia. I wouldn’t sow these for another month or so but they should love your warmer weather as they all originate from Central America. I do grow a few perennials although not many as they don’t tend to be so productive. But achillea and heleniums work, as do sedums.
Thanks, that’s helpful. I need to order some seed and check what’s available locally. I bought 3 gerberas to plant when it gets warmer, I think they might be quite prolific, a also I’ve thought of some things that don’t need water, mainly bulbs so might just have another patch I can use.
Congratulations – it looks really lovely, you must be very pleased. Pat yourself on the back right now!
Thanks Kate. :)
Well done well done – it’s such a gorgeous book and am so excited we are running an extract in the next issue (may) of The Simple Things magazine… Hope you’re out tonight to celebrate!! love to you bothX
Thank you, lovely. Can’t wait to see the extract. x
Congratulations I have tried my hardest to win a copy, now that has failed I’ve asked for it for Mothers day. From what I have seen it looks just lovely.
Hi Joanne, thank you. Sorry to hear you haven’t won a copy. Hope you get a copy for Mother’s Day. :)
Many congratulations, so happy to hear its finally officially published, so proud :)
PS I will be buying it soon :)
Aw! Thank you, Sofia. Yes it’s good it finally out there. Hope you like it. x
Congratulations!
Thank you. :)
Very many congratulations. Can’t imagine how exciting it must be to see the result of all your work turn up as a REAL book!
This nest is a shamefacedly copy and paste comment. (I’m doing a last minute rush around to people who might be interested.)
Have you thought about following a tree with Loose and Leafy this year? There’s information here http://tinyurl.com/bv6pzt5 and a Link Box tomorrow (7th March).
Lucy
Thank you, Lucy. It’s fab and strange at the same time. Have taken a look at the link. I did something similar a few years ago and would love to do it again.
Congratulations, and like you I’ve read nothing but lovely reviews which must be really pleasing. Happy seed sowing. xx
Thank you, Flighty. I finally managed to get out and sow some seeds. Dull and wet here. I don’t remember that being in the weather forecast. Bring back the sun!
Huge congratulations!! Looking forward to seeing my copy soon. I’ve heard so many wonderful things about it from everyone who has seen it. Well done! Hope you found a bit of greenhouse time today?!
Thank you, lovely. Wish I could get a copy to you sooner. I did finally manage to get into the greenhouse. What happened to the weather today? I don’t remember them saying it would rain.
Well done! I can’t wait to get my copy xxx
Hi Summeara, Thank you so much. Hope you enjoy it when you manage to get a copy. And, so lovely to hear from you. Doesn’t uni seem such a long time ago … oh, that’s because it is. ;)
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Like Pauline, I have had my copy for a few days and have been enjoying dipping into it. It’s so readable and I love this kind of cover too – so much better than a paper cover for a book that going to be used this way. Well done for getting through that lengthy process – it was interesting to read how it all started and lovely to know that Mr WW was supporting you all the way. I am really excited with the prospect of my cutting beds, and your book materialised at just the right time – thank you!
Hi Cathy, Thank you. I love the cover too. I find paper covers annoying, they’re always getting torn and look tatty quite quickly. Looking forward to seeing you cutting beds. :)
Congrats, Louise, what a wonderful achievement! I’m sure it’ll turn into a bestseller in no time. :)
Thanks Annette. That would be nice. :)
I took a look at Jason’s page and just love the images, quite stunning, crisp and colourful, an inspiration. Well done. Better add it to my book wishlist. D.
Hi Dorris, His photos are beautiful. Thank you. :)
Yay! How exciting. Hope it is a huge success, Lou. Dave
Thank you, Dave. :)
Oh you must be feeling over the moon now that the big day has finally arrived! Many, many congratulations WW on seeing your name in print. I wasn’t going to buy any new books this year but there may well have to be just one special exception :) Hope that you can spend more time getting your fingers dirty this year.
Thank you so much, Anna. It’s been a strange drip drip of a build up but I’m glad it’s finally out there. It would be nice if you could squeeze just one more book in. ;) Hopefully lots of growing to come this year.
Congratulations, I’ve heard good things about the book, you should be very proud of it. It really does look wonderful.
Thanks CJ. You’re very kind. :)
It’s a lovely book and I enjoyed reviewing it. Congratulations and I’m sure it will sell well. Debbie.
Thank you Debbie. Glad to hear you enjoyed reviewing it. Louise
Congratulations!!! I wish you great success with your book. Blessings, Natalie :
Thank you Natalie. :)
Many congratulations Louise I know how much work you have put in and am glad to have followed you through your journey from when you first started. I am really proud of you. The book is amazing, I have read it and not stopped dipping into it since it arrived in the post. Hope you will sign it for me when I next see you. I now see the significance of the seed packs I received for my birthday. Thanks & well done xxx
Thank you, that means a lot. Glad to hear you like it and yes, of course, I’ll sign it when we next meet up. Sorry I didn’t sign it before. It’s been one of those weeks. Hope you’re feeling up to sowing some seeds and starting off your own patch. Just ask if you want to any advice. L xxx
Wonderful work, Lou – I hope this is the first of many! My review is just posted – sorry, should have done it a couple of weeks ago when the book arrived from FL but have been soooo busy (haha, including seed sowing!) Had to refer to your tome on the depth to sow my sweet peas – see, useful already! What I didn’t say in my post is that I already have Ms Raven’s cut flower book and H Yemm’s for the RHS but yours is better, easier on the brain and much nicer on the eye! I also love the little posy of dandelions and daisies that you included in the section on weeds – no such thing as an unwanted flower. Definitely a book to be very proud of!
Thank you Caro. I’m so pleased you loved the book and thank you for such a lovely review. Can’t wait to see how your own cutting patch develops. x
Congratulations – it’s a very fine book :)
I’m writing up my review (will publish on Sunday) and came over to get your link to find this serendipitous post. It’s great to be able to see the other, more personal side of a book’s publication.
Following #britishflowers and seeing the vases of fresh seasonal flowers placed by various blogging friends when I’ve stayed with them has inspired me to have my own cut flower patch this year. I’m pleased to have your guide to help me on my way, thank you.
Thank you, Michelle. Hope you enjoy your own cut flower patch this year. :)
Congratulations, it must be such an experience to have things all come together finally. Best of luck!
Thank you. :)
Hurrah and congratulations! It looks beautiful, definitely something to be very proud of.
Sara
Thank you, Sara. It’s very kind of you to say. Louise x
It’s getting excellent reviews – I bet you are so proud.
Hi Sue. I’ve been so pleased with the reviews, so happy people really seem to like it and want to buy it.
Well done! A great achievement.
Thank you, Bridget.
Hi Louise, huge congratulations, it is a beautiful book inside and out, I devoured it at a single sitting and am now going back to various bits. Love the writing style, full of practical tips and I love how complete the profiles are of each plant you highlight. Its rare to get all the info about when and how to sow alongside whether to pinch out, how to plant and then how to cut and arrange. I love it, and will be buying one for my sil too.
Hi Janet, Thank you so much. It’s really interesting to hear which bits people like. I tried to cover everything and make it comprehensive. I was a bit worried I’d ended up writing too much though. Glad to hear you felt you could sit and read it in a single sitting. Really, really pleased you’ve enjoyed it and that you want to buy another. :))
Fabulous, Louise, its great to see it finally out and from what I’ve read you have some wonderful reviews. Looking forward to reading it. You’ve certainly inspired me to grow more cut flowers this year.
Thank you, Annie. I have been over the moon with the reviews. Hope you enjoy your own cut flowers this year. :)
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I just finished this book.. and I lovd it! Gorgeous and very useful. Thanks for giving me so many ideas!
Thanks Jancie. It’s lovely to hear you’ve enjoyed it and found it useful – makes all the hard work worth it. :)
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